The present invention relates generally to security systems and, more particularly, relates to locking mechanisms for controlling access to various areas of a facility.
Securing various areas of a facility such as a school or university requires a relatively complex system. For example, the facilities of a university may be spread across a number of buildings each of which may include laboratories and cabinets, etc. to which various individuals may be authorized access. In order to manage this access, sophisticated security systems now may include an electronic control system such as a computer. The computer may include software to authorize general access to various groups of individuals or specific access to individuals themselves. For example, for general access to a particular building, laboratory or cabinet within a building, the computer may remotely control locking mechanisms for the locking and unlocking of doors at particular times during a day. Specific access may be granted to a particular individual via a remote access system such as a key pad, card reader or the like located adjacent the building, laboratory or cabinet to be entered.
One locking mechanism to which the invention relates is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,863 to Frolov issued Jun. 24, 1997 and assigned to the present assignee hereof and entitled "Clutch Mechanism For Door Lock System." This patent discloses an electronic lock control mechanism which is integrated with the lockset of a door.
A need has arisen for providing low cost, reliable and durable locking mechanism responsive to the electronic control system or computer system discussed above which may be mounted outside of the lockset of a door and/or a cabinet. The locking mechanism should also be capable of avoiding jamming such as may occur when the locking mechanism is actuated prior to full closure of the door or cabinet.